aurelian sat by the window, staring outside into the inky black sky. stars spotted the blackness, just beginning to come out. it always got dark early. rain splashed against the leaves, pattering on the roof like white noise. he sighed, taking out his headphones. it took him a moment to adjust to the loud sounds, a weak groan of pain forcing its way out of his body. the lush green rainforests glowed faintly in the distance, the rainy shimmer visible even from his vantage point. he was in the highest tower. his room was up here. he had one lower down, too, but he preferred it up here. it was mostly inaccessible to anyone who wasn't a part of his family, and his father never bothered to come upstairs. they didn't speak very often. the king was just as standoffish as aurelian was. they got along just fine.

he got out of his chair with a sigh, pushing open the windows. the sound of the rain flooded his ears. behind that, the crickets and the birds. he could hear very faintly the conversations between the maids, though the rain shut it out. he sat on the windowsill and pulled his legs up and over, hanging them out the window. he liked being up in high places.